Though impossible to substantiate, I have been told that 80% of the Albuquerque population sports at least one tattoo.

Vanilla Ink

Afternoons have already started reaching the upper 70s, so people are exposing more flesh, and with it baring their ink. The brightly colored cartooned owl on this calf was appealing like a vanilla cream soda: sweet and kitschy.

For the record: I have no tattoos. I have no desire to ever become the owner of one. I admire that intangible need that people feel, to stamp themselves with a symbol that is deeply personal, and make it permanent.

Photographs are my type of permanence.